Stranded
by mystery writer5775
Summary: Valerie and Phantom are stranded and Valerie learns there is more than she originally thought to this ghost...
1. Chapter 1

**to me this is a very special fic that i tried to transfer my fears and thoughts into, i hope it isn't to descriptive but i wanted to attempt to send a few chills like i have gotten by typing it. don't own DP**

_**line break**_

"Take that ghost" Valerie shouted as she launched an ecto blast at Danny Phantom.

Phantom quickly dodged and looked nervously at the clouds.

They were almost black and it was five o clock, one could have taken it for night.

Valerie quickly looked at the clouds again as a bolt of lightning rent through the sky, only to be followed by jaw wrenching thunder that made her heart pound.

She shot another blast at Phantom and watched as it nailed him in the back.

His screams were lost in the next clap of thunder.

Valerie watched as he fell to the forest below.

They were about five miles out of town and had been soaring over endless forest.

Valerie was blinded as another bolt of lightning struck near her.

Her heart pounded as she dove after Phantom, determined not to let him escape.

As soon as she got below the leaves the storm quieted, but the forest had an eerie silence.

The wind that escaped through the thick canopy created an eerie howl.

Valerie shivered as she was reminded of the ghost zone.

Quietly she looked around for Phantom but saw no sign of him.

She knew he was here because there was some green and red blood on the ground.

Carefully Valerie examined it in a puzzled way.

She had already learned that ghosts only bleed green ectoplasm, so she wondered why Phantom bled human blood.

Behind her she heard a twig snap, it sounded like a gunshot.

Quickly she turned around and saw a white wolf sitting and watching her.

She became mesmerized in golden eyes, and didn't even move when the wolf jumped towards her.

She screamed as the wolf created a nasty gash in her arm and down her leg.

She fell as the leg quit supporting her.

The wolf turned to her again, preparing to jump.

Suddenly Valerie shut her eyes as a green flash lit the area.

She heard the wolf yelp in pain "get away from her" someone yelled.

Slowly she opened her eyes and saw the wolf vanish into the darkness.

She then turned to get a glimpse of her savior and felt her anger rise upon seeing him "you" she cried "yes me, are you okay" Phantom asked her.

Valerie felt the sting of her wounds but smirked "yeah I'm okay, better than you will be" she said.

Slowly she stood, drawing an ecto gun, but she screamed at the pain in her leg and closed her eyes as she fell.

She didn't hit the ground, out of surprise of the lack of impact she opened her eyes and found herself face to face with Phantom.

She cringed at the close proximity, then noticed his arms holding her up "do it" she whispered angrily.

Phantom looked at her and in his eyes she saw deep concern, passion, worry, and if she wasn't mistaken she could have sworn she saw a hint of love.

Phantom cocked his head "what do you mean" he asked, his voice echoed in the empty forest.

Valerie glared at him "you know what I mean" she yelled "just kill me, it's what you've always wanted" she shouted.

Phantom cocked his head "are you okay" he asked, ignoring Valerie's question.

Valerie glared as hard as she could at Phantom, but only saw genuine confusion in his eyes.

Valerie lowered her head and sighed "what do you care" she asked.

Again Phantom cocked his head, he gave off an eerie glow on the forest that continued to get darker.

Then he helped Valerie to her feet and held her so that she wouldn't fall "I can help you walk home" he asked.

Valerie contemplated the idea as she heard the steady dripping of whatever rain got through the thick trees overhead.

She looked around and saw nothing but pitch black.

She listened and heard the steady howling of the wind that sounded eerily similar to a ghostly moan.

But more distinctly she saw the eyes of the wolf, not to far in the distance "why not fly" Valerie asked, hesitant about walking in the cold dark woods.

Phantom looked around, fear clearly dominating in his eyes "unfortunately our last fight left me at a disadvantage for fighting" he said slowly, still looking around.

Valerie rolled her eyes but caught sight of a gash on one of his legs.

She winced, noting that it was much bigger and deeper then hers.

But what caused her to wince most was that he was bleeding green ectoplasm and red human blood.

Valerie shuddered "why do you have red blood" she asked.

Phantom stiffened as he looked down.

Quickly he got into a purple backpack Valerie hadn't noticed till then.

It looked familiar to her yet she couldn't place where.

He helped me to sit and pulled out a first aid kit "take off your hunting gear" he told Valerie.

Once again Valerie saw worry and concern "why" she asked, expecting a trick.

Phantom sighed "so I can take care of that gash on your leg and arm" he said warily.

Hesitantly Valerie recalled her suit with her mind.

Instantly Phantom began wrapping the two cuts that Valerie guessed were a foot long each and at least half inch deep.

She grit her teeth in pain and leaned against a stump "ouch, that hurts" she cried.

Phantom smirked "what not used to pain" he teased.

Valerie glared at him.

Then she stopped, she wasn't used to pain, the only times she had truly gotten hurt was during the ghost king incident.

She lowered her head "I guess I'm not" she whispered.

Phantom raised an eyebrow, but Valerie met it with a glare "and I suppose with that cut of yours, you must be used to pain" she asked fiercely.

Phantom sighed and looked down at his cut which was twice as long and twice as deep as Valerie's "nobody can be used to pain, I just prefer to ignore it, because if I let every little cut bother me then I won't be able to protect my home and the ones I love" he whispered.

Valerie looked a little hurt at his choice of words but was cut off as Phantom finished bandaging her leg and arm.

He then proceeded to put her arm in a sling "why are you doing that" Valerie asked.

Phantom smirked "what, do you want to move that arm, or you can have it stationary so it won't hurt" he said in a teasing yet serious tone.

Valerie watched him as he finished, then began bandaging his own wound "man my sister will kill me for this" he muttered as much to Valerie as to himself.

Valerie's interest peaked "you have a sister" she asked.

Phantom smiled warmly "yeah, she's the best sister in the world, and I have two of the best friends a guy can have" he said with a lot of warmth in his voice.

Valerie was puzzled, she didn't think ghosts had feelings "who are your friends" she asked.

Phantom looked at her, clearly thinking "I can't tell you their names but they are alive and they go to our school" he said.

Valerie thought for a second before realizing "wait _our _school" she asked, her voice echoing loudly through the forest.

Phantom looked panicked, and Valerie looked to his face to his cut and back again "your part human aren't you" she asked slowly.

Phantom tensed up and Valerie knew she wouldn't get more out of him "fine, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to but I would appreciate help in order to walk home" she told him.

Phantom relaxed and went back to wrapping his cut.

Once he finished he replaced the first aid kit back into the back pack and slowly stood up.

He then went to help Valerie up and started to look around "one question" he asked.

Valerie shrugged "whatever" she said, meaning yes.

Phantom looked up and around "which way is home" he asked.

The question echoed through the cold dark forest, leaving a chill that even made Phantom shudder.

Valerie looked at her wrist and typed in coordinates for home.

She gasped as the results came up "what's wrong" Phantom asked.

Valerie looked at him slowly "about five miles walk east" she said as she realized how long that would take.

Phantom sighed "then we had better start walking" he muttered.


	2. Chapter 2

**i hope this chapter makes some people happy, Valerie finds out a little more about our favorite halfa. don't own DP!**

_**Line break**_

They had been walking for only ten minutes before Valerie had to stop.

She gingerly felt her leg, it had recently begun to swell.

Then she looked over to Phantom who wasn't putting weight on his right leg.

Guiltily she looked at his gash and winced when she saw it had begun to bleed through the bandages.

The worst part was she knew that she had caused the injury, when he had fallen through the trees.

Quietly she looked at her surroundings and then looked back at Phantom and sighed "you had better rebandage that" she said her voice echoing eerily in the dark forest.

Phantom turned around in surprise "what" he asked, surprise clear in his tone.

Valerie looked away "I understand I won't make it without your help and I know you need to rebandage your leg before you bleed to death considering your part human and can actually die" Valerie said, but she absolutely hated having to.

Phantom sighed in a slightly relieved way and got out his first aid kit.

Quickly he redressed the gash "this is _really_ going to hurt tomorrow" he muttered.

Valerie giggled "your telling me, I might even skip school, of course my dad might make me anyways" she said.

Suddenly Valerie started to panic "oh no, dad is probably worried sick" Valerie cried out.

Phantom sighed and dig into his book bag and tossed a cell phone at Valerie.

She looked at Phantom in disbelief "you have a cell phone" she asked.

Phantom shrugged and dialed her home number.

After the second ring her dad picked up "hello" he said in a panicky voice "hey dad it's me" Valerie said.

She heard a crash "what, are you okay, where are you, didn't I tell you not to go" he asked.

Valerie sighed "in order yes I'm okay, I'm about five miles out of town, and yes you told me not to go, but dad before you say anything, I need to do this, it may get me to quit hunting Phantom and even form a truce with him, we have to walk so I won't be home for a long time, and we have to walk slow" she told him.

She heard her father yelling into the phone "bye dad" she said as she hung up on him.

She then handed the phone to Phantom who had just finished wrapping up his leg "thanks" he muttered.

Then he quickly dialed something "um hey mom it's me, I'm staying at Tuck's tonight…okay bye" he said.

Valerie looked carefully at Phantom "did you mean Tucker Foley" she asked.

Phantom stared at her "yeah, one second, gotta create the alibi" he said.

He then dialed another number "hey Tuck it's me, my mom calls I'm at your place…no I'm fine, I just got stranded and it will be a long walk home…okay see ya" he said and hung up.

He sighed and dialed another number "hey Sam, I need you to call my sister, tell her I'm stranded in the middle of nowhere and she needs to give me an alibi until I get back, oh and don't panic if I'm not in school tomorrow" and he hung up.

He put the phone in his book bag and slumped against the tree "why can't life be easy for once" he muttered under his breath.

Valerie chuckled "come on hot shot, I need your help so we can get home sometime" she teased.

Warily Phantom crawled to his feet and helped Valerie stand.

He then helped her walk through the cold empty forest.

Hesitantly Valerie opened her senses for danger, she saw the eyes of _things_ watching them, she felt the cold branches, wet with water, slap against her body, she heard the wind from the ever constant storm howling through the trees, and she heard a gunshot every time her or Phantom stepped on a twig.

She shivered "are you cold" Phantom asked, startling her from her observations.

Valerie looked down "just a little, I'm mainly just scared" she whispered.

Phantom chuckled "what" Valerie asked annoyed.

Phantom chuckled again "well it's just hard to believe a girl who hunts ghost is afraid of the dark" he teased.

Slowly Valerie looked around again "it's not the dark that I'm afraid of" she said slowly.

She shivered again "it's what's in the dark" she whispered (AN: this is my fear and I decided to give it to Valerie as well so I'm not alone)

Phantom looked around as well.

Valerie could see fear, worry, concern, and even a small trace of curiousness.

He turned to Valerie "to be honest, your not the only one" he said in a reassuring tone.

They walked on and Valerie attempted to put more weight on her injured leg.

She hissed in pain "are you okay, I can carry you if you need it" Phantom asked.

Valerie looked at him "with your leg? I would say that's impossible" she said.

Phantom winced as he looked down "I've had worse" he muttered.

Valerie decided to drop the subject.

Then Phantom turned to look at her "so do you need me to carry you or not" he asked, his annoyed tone intensified by the echoing forest.

Valerie shook her head "it's my fault the both of us are injured, the least I can do to make it up to you is to live with the pain" she said in a determined voice.

Phantom smiled and she could have sworn she saw a hint of respect glinting in his bright eyes.

She smiled to her self as the slowly continued limping along.

After awhile she began noticing that Phantom was starting to wince every time he stepped on his right leg.

She shot a look down and saw it was seeping through the bandages again.

She stopped suddenly which caused Phantom to stop.

He turned to her "what's wrong" he asked worriedly.

Valerie rolled her eyes "I hope you have enough gauze cause your bleeding through the bandages again" she said.

Phantom took a look down a groaned.

Quickly and carefully he helped Valerie to sit on a stump.

Then he once more pulled the first aid kit but this time after undoing the bandage he pulled out a vial that held a glowing green liquid and a cotton swab.

Valerie cocked her head "what's that" she asked.

Phantom gave her a calculating look "it's a special potion my sister got from the Fenton's, it's only supposed to be used in emergencies but it heals ghosts" he said slowly.

Valerie watched curiously as Phantom wiped the stuff gently on his gash.

Valerie watched curiously as it began to grow deeper until it rapidly began healing itself.

After five long minutes there was only a scar there, though the scar still looked nasty and you could tell it was a deep gash.

Phantom sagged to the ground in exhaustion afterwards "are you okay" Valerie asked quickly.

Phantom nodded warily "I'll be fine, that just took a lot of strength, I didn't realize it would use my strength to heal that" he said with a shaky voice.

Valerie smiled warmly "if you want we can take a rest and just talk" she said.

Phantom's head shot up "you mean talk talk or I hate you talk" he asked nervously.

Valerie chuckled "I mean random talk" she said.

Phantom sighed and looked at her "so what do you want to talk about" he asked.

Valerie grinned "well I know one thing we have in extreme common" she said.

Phantom smiled "hunting ghosts" he asked.

Valerie smiled and they started talking.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Line break**_

One hour later they were off again, though Phantom was clearly still exhausted.

Both teens continued to look nervously at their surroundings.

The woods were pitch black, the only light coming from Phantoms glowing skin.

Valerie occasionally shuddered as she caught sight of glowing things moving through the night.

Bats continuously soared through the trees while insects and snakes slithered away from there feet.

Valerie hung tighter to Phantom in fear "you okay" he asked.

She sighed nervously "I'm just nervous, and what if that wolf tries to attack again? There was something strange about it" she said.

Phantom frowned in puzzlement "that was truly the oddest animal I have seen, and I've seen mutated two, three headed animals before" he joked.

Then he looked towards the treetops that swayed gently in the wind "but that wolf, it was…different, like me" he said quietly.

Valerie smiled lightly "glad to know I'm not the only one who knows your different" she said.

Phantom looked at her in puzzlement" what do you mean" he asked.

Valerie looked ahead "earlier I found out your part human, how? And what would it make you?" she asked curiously.

Phantom sighed as they walked through the dense forest "the ghosts all call me a halfa, half ghost half human" he said quietly.

He slowed down a bit "yet an evil psychiatrist once said I could either be a ghost who isn't dead or just a freaky little boy with freaky powers" he said.

Valerie winced at all the hurt in his voice "well I don't think your freaky" she said quietly.

Phantom gave a genuinely thankful smile "thanks Val" he said gratefully.

Valerie smiled "should we stop and check how much farther we have to go" she asked.

Phantom nodded and put Valerie on a fallen log.

Quietly she accessed her watch "wow, there are only about two miles left, we're more than halfway" she said happily.

Phantom gave a tired smile "I think I can fly us for part of that way" he said quietly.

Valerie shook her head "but I like the walking, it's really nice to be here, alone with you" she whined.

Phantom raised both eyebrows in surprise "that was an unexpected reaction" he said.

Valerie blushed lightly as they got up carefully to continue walking.

_**Line break**_

After about a half an hour they came across a hill and looked down as they finally exited the trees.

The city lights shone brightly beneath them.

Valerie gasped "it's so beautiful!" she said.

Phantom chuckled "don't you ever just fly around and admire the view" he teased.

Valerie lowered her head "no, never" she said. Phantom studied her closely.

Suddenly they whirled around as a wolfs howl ran through the night.

Phantom's eyes shown brightly as he scanned the trees.

Suddenly he pushed Valerie to the side, causing her to yell in pain because of her injury.

Angrily she looked up at Phantom.

Unfortunately Phantom was laying on the ground where the wolf had got him.

He had three long gashes in his side and the wolf carefully circled him.

Suddenly Valerie caught the hypnotic gaze of it's golden eyes "what are you" she whispered.

The wind carried out of the forest while Phantom breathed harshly _I am the guardian of the forest_ Valerie heard in her mind.

She blinked and looked at the wolf "so you're a ghost?" she asked.

The wolf stopped and stared at Phantom _no, a guardian who is cursed to forever protect my forest_ it 'said' in her mind.

She carefully looked at Phantom "why won't you let us leave!?" she asked desperately.

The wolf switched it's haunting gaze towards her _you have not proved your worthiness, and although he has you both cannot leave until you do_ it thought.

Valerie closed her eyes "how do I prove my worth" she asked quietly.

The wolf switched it's gaze to Danny and moved closer to him _you have a choice, only one of you is allowed to leave and you get to choose_ it said.

Valerie raised an eyebrow in surprise.

She looked around from where she was sitting "well I have a family to go to and he _did_ ruin my life…" she started.

Then she looked down at her leg and sighed "but then again he helped me, I wouldn't have made it this far without him and therefore owe him my life" she said.

She looked sadly into the wolfs gaze "I will stay, Phantom deserves the secret life he has more than me, and besides, who am I to take that away from him" she said quietly.

The wolf nodded before vanishing.

Suddenly Valerie and Phantom's wounds inflicted by the wolf glowed golden before vanishing.

Phantom shot up and touched his side "what happened" he asked.

Valerie stood up and helped him to his feet "lets just say a friend happened" she said.

Slowly they started down the hill and to the town as the sun began to rise.

At the edge of town Valerie turned to look at the hill.

On top was a majestic white wolf that let out a knowing howl before vanishing into the night…


End file.
